Sacro-lumbar supporting garment



Jan. 9, 1968 H, LOEFFEL ET Al. 3,362,402

SACRO-LUMBAR SUPPORTING GARMENT v 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 13, 1965United States Patent 3,362,402 Y SACR-LUMBAR SUPPRTING GARMENT Lester H.Loeffel, West Haven, and Emory C. Champagne,

Woodbridge, Conn., assignors to The Berger Brothers Company, New Haven,Conn., a corporation of 'Connecticut Filed May 13, 1965, Ser. No.455,486 3 Claims. (Cl. 12S-78) ABSTRACT 0F THE DISCLOSURE A combinationsacro-lumbar supporting garment in the form of a tube which encases thelower torso of a wearer, and a dorso-lumbar element selectivelyinterconnectable therewith in a plurality of adjustable positions,whereby a single garment may be employed to selectively t persons ofvarying physical proportions.

This invention relates generally to the field of foundation garments,and more particularly to an improved sacro-lumbar supporting garment ofa type used in correcting or ameliorating back ailments in thesacro-lumbar areas. Devices of this type are generally known in the art,and the invention lies in specific constructional details permittingfacilitated fitting to individual wearers using a minimum range of stocksizes, as well as increased comfort.

In devices of this type, it is customary to fabricate a singlesacro-lumbar supporting garment in the form of a tube which encases thelower torso of the wearer, the device including a back panel which isheavily boned on either side of the dorsal plane thereof. Wheredorso-sacral support is required, garments of this type are formed as anintegral construction to include an upper portion thereof with heavysteels extending up to the shoulder region of therwearer. Thus, theprior art construction constitutes a specific length of the back supportfeature built into the garment itself, so that it may not be varied tophysiological changes in men and women.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention toprovide an improved sacro-lumbar garment of the class described in whichthere is provided a sacro-lumbar element which is in itself an entity,and which may be used singly or with the addition of a special panelwhich transforms the garment into a dorso-lumbar type.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of a garmentincluding separate sacro-lumbar and dorsolumbar elements which may beused in conjunction with each other such that the position of one may beadjusted with respect to the other without structural alteration ofeither element.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improvedcombination garment in which means are provided for lixing the relativeadjustment vbetween the elements in such manner that readjustment may beobtained as required without cutting of stitches or additional sewingoperations.

Yet another object of the invention lies in the provision of an improvedcombination sacro-lumbar, dorso-lumbar garment in which the cost offabrication may be of a reasonable order, directly comparable withexisting prior art devices, thereby permitting consequent wide sale,distribution and use.

A feature of the invention lies in the use of hook and pileinterconnecting means between the two elements comprising the garment.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends andadvantages, will more fully appear in the prog- ICC ress of thefollowing disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, to which reference will be made in the specification,similar reference characters have been employed to designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a sacrolumbar element comprisinga part of the disclosed embodiment.

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary horizontal sectional view as seen from theplane 2 2 in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view in elevation corresponding to the lower right-handportion of FIG-URE 1, but showing certain of the component parts inaltered relative position.

FIGURE 4 is a view in perspective of the dorso-lumbar element whichforms a part of the disclosed embodiment.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view in perspective showing the embodiment inposition upon a wearer.

FIGURE 6 is a similar fragmentary view in perspective showing the sideopposite that seen in FIGURE 5.

FIGURE 7 is a similar fragmentary view in perspective, partly brokenaway to show detail, of the interconnection of the sacro-lumbar anddorso-lumbar elements.

FIGURE 8 is a fragmentary enlarged horizontal sectional view as seenfrom the plane 8-8 in FIGURE 6.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated byreference character 10, comprises broadly: a sacro-lumbar supportelement 11 and a dorsolumbar support element 12.

The sacro-lumbar support element 11 may be fabricated using existingtechniques known in the art, and is of generally tubular conguration. Asbest seen in FIG- URES 1 and 5, the element 11 includes first and secondoverlapping front edges 15 and 16, respectively, an upper bound edge 17,and a lower bound edge 18. Extending leftwardly as seen in FIGURE 1 fromthe edge 15 is a left front panel 19, bounded by a side edge 20 andincluding side boning 21 in the upper portion of a sheath adjacent theedge 20; Front boning 22 extends partially downward from the upper edge17, terminating above the crotch area of the wearer. To facilitateconformance to individual torso configuration, there is provided anupper gusset member 23 of generally triangular configuration, bounded bya free edge 24 and edges 25 and 26. A corresponding lower elastic gussetmember 27 is bounded by a free edge 28 and side edges 29 and 30.

The edges 26 and 30 are interconnected to a front edge boning member 31which mounts four adjustable straps 32. The straps 32 are provided withindividual buckle members 33 having loop means 34 for the engagement ofcorresponding hook means 35, as will more fully appear. A lowerauxiliary front panel 36 is bounded by an upper edge 37, a lower edge38, a xed vertical edge 39, and a free edge 40. The edge 40 is providedwith a row of eyelets 41 through which elastic cord 42 isthreaded.

The cord 42 also engages an interconnecting panel 43, bounded by avertical edge 44 having a corresponding row of eyelets 45, an upper edge46, a lower edge 47, and a vertical edge 48 having hook means 49engageable with corresponding eye means 5t) on a short panel 51 securedby stitch means 52 to a right front panel 53 (as seen on FIGURE 1).

The right front panel 53 mounts a plurality of stitched loops 54 whichsupport the hook means 35, and includes a sheath S5 for front boning 56which corresponds in location to the boning 22. As is the case in theleft front panel 19, the right front panel 53 includes an upper gusset57 -bounded by edges 58, 59 and 60, and a lower gusset 61 bounded byedges 62, y63 and 64. Side boning 65 extends partially downwardly fromthe upper edge 17, and corresponds to the boning 21 of the left frontpanel 19.

The back panel 66 includes light boning members 67 and 68, as well asheavier boning members 69, 70, 71

3 and 72, the members 69 and 72 being provided with eXtra steels whererequired. Disposed outside the members '70 and 71 is one part 74 ofcorresponding hook and pile members which provide for selectiveinterconnection of the elements 11 and 12.

The dorso-lumbar support element 12 is of generally elongated shape, andis bounded by an inner surface 8i, an outer surface 82, and a continuousbound edge S3. The edge 83 includes an upper portion 84, left-hand andright-hand rounded portions 85 and 86, respectively, left and rightdownwardly tapered portions 87 and 88, respectively, and a bottomportion 89. Four heavy bone-o1 members 90, 91, 92 and 93 are disposed oneither side of the center line of the element li12, the spacing beingsubstantially identical with that of the members 69-72 of' the element11. Positioned in the boned central areas 72 is the other member 95 ofthe hook and pile combination which is selectively engageable with themember 74.

Mounted on the outer surface 82 in the area of the rounded portions 85and 86 are pad members 96 mounting projecting studs 97 to which areattached body-engaging straps 98 and 99. The straps 98 and 99 aresubstantially similar, each including a padded portion 100 as well as anon-padded portion 101. The portions 101 are mutually engageable 4bybuckle means 1.02, individual Iit lbeing obtained by an adjustmentbuckle 103 in wellknown manner.

During fitting, the dorso-lumbar support element 12 is positioned withinthe sacro-lumbar support element 1:1, so that the upper portion of theformer is secured by the straps 98-99, and the lower portion held inposition by constricting pressure of the latter. During this fitting,the member 74 may be suitably covered by masking tape or otherprotective layer to prevent accidental engagement. When properadjustment has been determined, the outer surface of the element 12. maybe marked with respect to its relation to the upper edge 17 of theelement 11, and the protective layer removed so that the member '74 maybe engaged with the member 95. Since this interconnection is notpermanent, the device may be readjusted as many times as is necessary toprovide maximum comfort.

lf desired, stitch means (not shown) may be substituted for the members74 and 95, but readjustment is not as readily available where such meansis employed. Thus, relatively tall persons as well as relatively shortpersons can often be accommodated by a single stock garment, whichconvenience is not possible in prior art garments. Further, where theuse of the dorso-lumbar support element is only required for part of thewearing time of the garment, it may be conveniently disengaged andreengaged as desired.

We wish it to be understood that we do not consider the inventionlimited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in thisspecication, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled inthe art to which the invention pertains.

We claim:

1. A combination sacro-lumbar, dorso-lumbar supporting garment,comprising: a sacro-lumbar support element of generally tubularconfiguration adapted to enclose the lower trunk of a wearer, saidsupport element having a rear panel and vertically disposed honingmembers positioned on either side of the vertical center line of saidrear panel; a. dorso-lumbar support element including a rear panel4adapted to overlie the dorsal region of said wearer, and having strapmeans adapted to engage the upper torso thereof; and means selectivelyinterconnecting said sacro-lumbar support element and said rear panel ofsaid dorso-lumbar support element in one of a plurality of verticallyadjustable positions.

2. A combination sacro-lumbar, dorso-lumbar supporting garment,comprising: a sacro-lumbar support element of generally tubularconfiguration adapted to enclose the lower trunk of a wearer, saidsupport element having a rear panel and vertically disposed honingmembers positioned on either' side of the vertical center line of saidrear panel; a dorso-lumbar support element including a rear paneladapted to overlie the dorsal region of said wearer, and having strapmeans adapted to engage the upper torso thereof; and means selectivelyinterconnecting said sacro-lumbar support element and said rear panel ofsaid dorso-lumbar support element in one of a plurality of verticallyadjustable positions; said dorso-lumbar support element havingvertically disposed honing members forming continuations of said boningmembers of said sacro-lumbar support element upon interconnection.

3. A combination sacro-lumbar, dorso-lumbar supporting garment,comprising: a sacro-lumbar support element of generally tubularconguration adapted to enclose the lower trunk of a wearer, said supportelement having a rear panel and vertically disposed honing memberspositioned on either side of the vertical center line of said rearpanel; a dorso-lumbar support element including -a rear panel adapted tooverlie the dorsal region of said wearer, and having strap means adaptedto engage the upper torso thereof; and means selectively interconnectingsaid sacrolumbar support element and said rear panel of said dorsolumbarsupport element in one of ra plurality of vertically adjustablepositions; said dorso-lumber support element having vertically disposedhoning members forming continuations of said honing members of saidsacro-lumbar support element upon interconnection; said interconnectingmeans including hoolr and pile members positioned upon oppositelydisposed surfaces of each element.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 766,863 8/1904 Adams 12S-781,303,330 6/1919 Karlin 128-426 1,469,335 10/1923 Roth 12S-567 1,602,45910/1926 Robinson 128--520 2,104,699 1/1938 ODell 12S-78 2,900,984 8/1959 Cunningham 12S-556 3,135,256 6/1964 Gruber 128-75 3,282,264 tl1/1966 Connelly 128-78 3,285,243 11/1966- Yellin 12S-75 RICHARD A.GAUDET, Primary Examiner.

J. W. HTNEY, Assistant Examiner.

